Cali connection

There are California or “Cali” connections for every team at the regional.

Many of the ties revolve around top-shelf pitching gurus. They include TCU Coach Kirk Saarloos, an All-American at Cal State Fullerton in 2001 who pitched for the Houston Astros and Oakland Athletics; Santa Clara Coach Rusty Filter, a standout pitcher at San Diego State who developed No. 1 picks Steven Strasburg with the Aztecs and Mark Appel at Stanford; and Arizona pitching coach Dave Lawn, a California native who developed Mark Prior and Ian Kennedy at USC.

The Arkansas connections include third baseman Caleb Cali (who is actually from Florida) and pitching coach Matt Hobbs, who grew up in San Diego and has been an assistant at UC-San Diego and the University of San Francisco.

“Hobbsy and I go back a long time, ever since I got to TCU,” Saarloos said. “Being recruiting coordinator, him and I were on the road a bunch together. I got to know him through Tony Vitello actually, because Tony and Matt were buddies and he introduced me. We’ve been friends ever since.

“Obviously, his track record speaks for itself. A phenomenal pitching coach.”

Vitello, the former Arkansas assistant coach, is in his sixth season as head coach at Tennessee.